MPEG to VCD is crap audio

[menardrs]

Help! I have used about every Ripper I can find on the net and most all make fantastic AVI or MPEG files. However, when attempting to convert them to VCD or SVCD the Audio goes to crap. It almost always has a popping sound and is never in Sync.

Here are the packages I've tried:

DVDX
SuperDVDRipper
DVD Decrypter (So far the fastest ripper)
Amigo DVD Ripper
DVD XCopy Plus

InterVideo looks promising but won't read most commercial disc.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mug Funky]

umm... you're going to have to tell us more than that.

generally though, mp2 sound is going to be crap. try handling the audio seperately from your video encoding (like making your AVI with regular PCM sound, then extracting that and encoding to mp2 using besweet and toolame).

to get semi-acceptable sound in mp2 you'll need 192kbps or more. this is just to get to the level of a 112kbps mp3.

[menardrs]

If what you are saying is correct, then why do these packages claim to do what they can not? False advertising, I guess!

I would really like someone whoe knows what theheck they are talking about tell me if it is even possible in a single step program to get acceptable quality audio & video from a DVD copy? If I need to get a DVD burner then so beit. I have wasted all the CDs I am going to waste trying to make the FLY-BY-NIGHT programs work as they claim!

Thanks!

[smiller667]

Well, I am afraid there is just nobody here who knows what they really are talking about, sorry ;) ...

I never used the packages for compression you mentioned (some of them are rippers, some all-in-one packages?), thus I can't be of much help there (dvddecrypter is about as good as it gets for ripping, tho).

Apart from diy manually, consider giving dvd2svcd a try - it will do VCD, SVCD (and CVD) as well as DVD conversions. AV quality matches or exceeds that of commercial product (speaking of VCDs here). I can't tell if that's enough for you. I haven't had sync issues or clicks/pops with it.

As mug funky already pointed out, mpeg 1 level 2 audio will need a higher bitrate to sound acceptable - never use bitrates of 128 or so as you might have seen in mp3 (you canget away doing that for mono audio commentaries or the like).

If you try tmpgenc for "manual" audio and video encoding, get toolame and configure tmpgenc to use it - the internal audio encoder is not the greatest.

The dvd2svcd default bitrate for SVCD is 192 (afaik), but even classic VCD 1.1 already uses 224 for audio. If you don't like 224, try SVCD and 384 kbit/sec.

Too low a bitrate should not manifest itself as pops and sync issues, rather as audio artifacts like flanging etc. (try 160 kbits for a stereo soundtrack & you will hear what I mean).

[menardrs]

Hey Smiller667,

Sorry if I insulted you or anyone else here! It's just too damn complicated to go through this ripping process. I have other things I would like to do with my time.

Anyway, I have used DVD2SVCD and it is no better! Still get syncing problems so I guess the only option is DVD2DVD via BURNER and DVD X Copy.

Any other working solutions are welcome.

Thanks again Smiller!

[smiller667]

Hey, no offence taken at all :) ... just trying to be funny. I can't claim to be an expert myself.

As for the sync problems, are they always there or just when you play the movie on a standalone? Are you having sync issues with both vcd and svcd? Are you attempting pal->ntsc conversions or vice versa?

If you use dvd2svcd, maybe try "don't delete any files" and listen to the isolated audio to see where the dropouts appear (after ripping, after encoding or after multiplexing/authoring.

[menardrs]

Smiller,

On all the various packages I have tried the drop outs and popping only occur on the conversion to VCD or SVCD! The AVI and MPEGS all sound and look fine.

I sure appreciate your help!

Scott

[DDogg]

One of the one click dvd solutions and a dvd burner indeed sound like the correct solution for you to pursue. Alternately I might suggest you slow down, pick a program like dvd2svcd and actually learn it. I've done over a thousand backups and never had a sync problem and the audio quality is audiophile grade. I would again suggest you look for something in the chain causing the problems that you are not presently seeing. I really do not think it is anything to do with the software.

Goodluck :)

[menardrs]

Hey DDog,

Would it be possible for you to provide me with your settings? Yes, learning the software would be helpful, but I really don't have the time to tinker with it. I have already made about 20 coasters trying to get it correct.

I do appreciate you time and effort posting a reply. Thanks!

[dragongodz]

first read this page.
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47777&perpage=20&pagenumber=4
now you should understand about super and amigo and why they suffer the same problem as DVDx.

as for DVDx there is a bug in the decoding/syncing routine. it only happens on some dvds and not all. i fixed it by changing the sync method slightly but then some NTSC dvds were fragile with maintaining sync. so i am working on something a bit more robust. so this should be fixed in DVDx 2.3. no dont ask when it will be released as there is no set date, it will be when we think enough is done to warrant it.

this is a good thread to read aswell in regards to free software.
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52597 :)